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Last updated on Monday, January 8, 2018
(INDIANAPOLIS) - State Rep. Matt Pierce, a Democratic lawmaker from Bloomington will push the state to legalize assisted suicide for those with a terminal illness.
A handful of states including California, Vermont and Oregon have Death With Dignity laws that allow physician-assisted suicides. Oregon's law has been on the books since 1997.
Pierce says the measure would allow people with six months to live to "have a medication prescribed that will allow them to die with dignity and humanity by self-administering the medication as opposed to having to suffer through the pain and agony of a slow and prolonged death."
Pierce added there is a number of safeguards in the bill - the patient's written request would need to be witnessed by two people who could verify mental competence.
There would be a 15-day waiting period, doctors involved, and the offering of other options to name a few. It also says the patient must administer the life-ending drug themselves - and is a Level 1 felony if anyone else does.
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